Enjoy Kumano, a world heritage site, both physically and mentally at Kumano no Yado Umihikari, which overlooks the Kumano Sea!

■ Kumano no Yado Umihikari, an inn on a hill overlooking the Kumano Sea

Kumano is the spiritual home of the Japanese people. Recently, the number of tourists visiting Kumano to explore the Kumano Kodo has been increasing.

There is a beautiful accommodation facility built on top of a mountain near KumanoCity.

This accommodation was originally known as a ``Kanpo no Yado,'' but the facility was completely renovated and opened in June 2016 as ``Kumano Yado Umihikari.''

If you search on a map app, etc., the distance from JR KumanoCity Station to Umihikari is about 1.5km. It's calculated to arrive in about 20 minutes. Some people may think, ``I might be able to walk for that long.''

However, Umihikari is located on top of a mountain overlooking the Kumano Sea, so you have to climb up a very steep slope as shown in the photo. The interview took place on a cold day in January, and I walked there to try things out, but by the time I got there I was drenched in sweat.

Therefore, we recommend using Umihikari's shuttle service instead of forcing yourself to walk.
If you contact us in advance, we can pick you up not only from KumanoCity Station, but also from nearby stations and tourist facilities in the city. Not only groups, but even just one person is OK, so please don't hesitate to ask.

Furthermore, a shuttle service is also available when going from Umihikari to stations and tourist facilities.

As mentioned earlier, it is a little difficult to walk to Umihikari, but it is by no means impossible.

The road is narrow in some parts, but it is paved, and you can take in the beautiful scenery as you walk. If you are confident in your physical strength, you may discover something new by walking once during the nice weather.

Umihikari's parking lot is not only in front of the entrance, but also on the side and back of the building.
There are 47 parking spaces, so even if you are visiting by rental car or private car, you don't have to worry too much about parking space.

*There is no EV charging facility.

This is Umi Hikari's front desk.
A cute star-shaped light welcomes you. The front desk is open 24 hours a day.

Behind the front desk is a bright lobby.

On this day, I saw people having what seemed to be work meetings.
It's sunny and it looks like you'll be able to chat more than usual while looking out at the courtyard.

In the corner of the lobby, there was a corner with free coffee service for guests.

There are no tea and sweets in the guest rooms, so in addition to coffee, you can also take the sweets left here to your room and eat them. It's nice to be able to choose what you like.

The same sweets are also sold at the shop. If you try the food at this free corner and find something you like, you can buy it as a souvenir.

The shop is located opposite the coffee corner.
In addition to the tea sweets mentioned above, there are various souvenirs from Kumano, and just looking at them will make you feel happy.

Kumano's specialty mandarin orange jelly is said to be very popular at the shop.

■ What do you think of Umi Hikari's guest rooms and bathhouses?

Umihikari's guest rooms are broadly divided into
・Japanese-style room (23 rooms)
・Western style room (4 rooms)
・Universal design room (1 room)
・Special Japanese-Western style rooms (2 rooms)
There are 4 types, 30 rooms in total.

This photo is of a special room with a fusion of Japanese and Western style. The space where you can relax while watching TV has a Western-style floor, and the Japanese-style room in the back is the bedroom.

There is a hot spring on the grounds of Umihikari, and the large public bath uses that water.
In the days of Kanpo no Yado, hot water was brought in from a nearby hot spring due to pumping equipment, but during the renovation, they decided to make it possible to pump water from within the premises.
You can slowly soothe the fatigue of your trip in the spacious bathtub.

Day trip bathing is also possible from 13:00 to 21:00, and the bathing fee is 500 yen for adults and 300 yen for children. We also have discount tickets (5,000 yen for 13 tickets/2,500 yen for 6 tickets).

*With the exception of the barrier-free universal design room and one Western-style room, Umihikari's guest rooms do not have individual baths.

■ The most popular restaurant is ``Kumano Shiki Kaiseki.'' All you can eat dried fish for breakfast!

Meals at Umihikari can be enjoyed at the on-site restaurant, Kumano no Shiki Ryori Umika.
This restaurant is also famous for its delicious food made with local Kumano ingredients. We offer dishes made with plenty of ingredients from the mountains, including fresh seafood procured from the Yuki fishing port in KumanoCity.

Among them, the most popular menu item is ``Kumano's Shiki Kaiseki Yuunagi'' (3,300 yen including tax).
This is a course meal that incorporates many seasonal ingredients. According to Umihikari, ``The dishes differ daily depending on purchasing conditions, rather than 'seasonally.''

There is also a ``Children's Kaiseki'' (2,750 yen including tax) for children, and ``Children's Plate'' (1,650 yen including tax), which is easier than a kaiseki.
The dining area is a semi-private room, so even if you are bringing small children with you, you can enjoy local cuisine in a relaxed manner without worrying about other people around you.

Of course, you can use the restaurant not only for hotel guests but also for just a meal. Lunch is generally not available, but it can be negotiated for groups of 10 or more.

The highlight of Umihikari's breakfast is, of course, the all-you-can-eat dried fish.
You can grill various kinds of dried fish yourself using the stove (on the left side of the photo) placed on the table.

Please take this opportunity to try and compare dried fish from Kumano.
It might also be useful for researching souvenirs.

■ Great for families with children and women! Facilities in the building There is also a children's room in the building.

There is a ball pool and blocks in the brightly colored room, so you can have plenty of fun. Small children tend to get bored when traveling, so this room is a great help if you're traveling with children.

It can be used not only by guests staying at the hotel, but also by those who just come to eat and take a bath.

Next to the kids' room is a ``library'' filled with comics and DVDs.
You can read books not only in the library but also in your room, and you can also enjoy movies on the DVD deck provided in your room.

By the way, the library also had small picture books for children.
Of course, you can read this book in your guest room.

■ Can be used not only for sightseeing but also for long-term stays at sports training camps!

Umihikari has a multi-purpose roofed facility like this one on its premises, which can be used for a variety of occasions such as barbecues and sports practice (reservations required).

KumanoCity is also putting effort into attracting training camps for softball, baseball, and other sports. Because of this, the number of people using it for long-term stays such as sports training camps is increasing.

There is also a discount system for sports groups, and they will be able to consult with you regarding meals, etc.

Umihikari is full of ``healing'' elements, such as the spectacular view overlooking the Kumano Sea, delicious cuisine made with local ingredients, and hot springs.

As mentioned at the beginning, it was renovated in June 2016, and the guest rooms and facilities are very clean. It can be said that this is the perfect inn to rest your tired body after walking the Kumano Kodo, or just relax and get away from your busy daily life.

It can be used only for meals and bathing, so it can be enjoyed to the fullest not only by those who come from far away to spend the night, but also by those who live nearby.

【Facility information】

Address: 1020-7 Idocho, KumanoCity City, Mie Prefecture 519-4324
Phone number: 0597-89-7000
Official URL: http://www.umihikari.com/
Access: 5-10 minutes by car from JR KumanoCity Station. Free pick-up service available from city tourist facilities including KumanoCity Station (reservation required)
Parking: Available (47 spaces) *No EV charging facility

*Information as of February 2019. Dates, prices, etc. may have changed, so please check with your contact information before going out.